The session, sponsored by CSS Impact, tackled one of the biggest barriers to AI adoption in collections: culture. While AI promises efficiency and scalability, many teams default to manual processes out of habit, comfort, or fear of losing control. Panelists emphasized that resistance is often less about the technology itself and more about change management, leadership, and trust.
Brian McLellan noted, “People aren’t resisting AI, they’re protecting what they already feel good at.” Brett Schklar added that AI adoption exposes strong versus weak leaders, highlighting the need for managers to embrace innovation rather than cling to inefficiencies. Karissa Clampit stressed that AI doesn’t fix unclear operations—it exposes them, making governance and compliance critical.
Practical strategies included starting small with visible wins, focusing on repetitive tasks, and involving frontline staff in testing. Ryder Thompson of CSS Impact underscored AI’s competitive advantage: “AI can do things in seconds that take hours manually. Scale is no longer limited by hiring and training.”
🧠 Key Takeaways:
- Start with contained, high-impact use cases: Target repetitive 15-minute tasks or small workflows that deliver measurable time savings and build trust in AI.
- Lead with culture and governance: Ensure leadership sets clear boundaries, compliance frameworks, and communicates the vision—AI adoption is as much about culture as technology.
- Empower teams incrementally: Involve end users in pilot projects, provide training, and celebrate small wins to build momentum and confidence.
This webinar made clear that moving past “I’ll just do it manually” requires both leadership courage and operational clarity. AI adoption is not about replacing talent—it’s about freeing skilled professionals to focus on higher-value work while scaling operations efficiently.
